Thursday, July 17, 2014

Linking infant age and bed-sharing to SIDS

New information on how risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) appear to change with the age of the infant, researchers say.

They found that younger babies are more likely to die when they're sharing beds, while older babies face a higher risk of sudden death when there are objects in the crib with them, such as pillows and toys.

"This study is the first to show that the risks during sleep may be different for infants of different ages," said lead author Dr. Rachel Moon, associate chief of Children's National Medical Center's division of general pediatrics and community health, in Washington, D.C. "Parents of infants under 4 months of age should be aware that bed-sharing is a huge risk factor."

Parents should also be careful to make sure their infants sleep without objects around them, she said.